Next month’s final two rounds of the Protyre Formula Renault BARC Championship at Silverstone will see the famous Brabham family name represented in the series for the first time with Matthew Brabham, son of Geoff and grandson of Formula One legend Sir Jack, set to make his UK race debut.
The 18-year-old, who has dual Australian/American nationality, will drive a Cliff Dempsey Racing prepared Tatuus FR 2.0 as part of his prize for winning the Team USA Scholarship and arrives in the UK off the back of claiming the USF2000 Championship a couple of weeks ago.
Having started his motorsport career in karts at the age of seven, the third generation racer moved into cars at just 14-years-of-age in 2009 and competed in Australian Formula Ford before this year turning his attention to the American scene and USF2000 where he claimed four victories and seven other podiums on his way to the title in his rookie season.
“I’m really looking forward to Silverstone”, said the Florida-born youngster, “My grandfather, dad and uncles [David & Gary Brabham] all raced in the UK and I’ve heard all the stories of those times so it’s always been one of my main aims to come to the UK, and Silverstone, to race.
“It’s fantastic to have the opportunity from the Team USA Scholarship to join Cliff’s team and to try the BARC car. I haven’t tested it yet but it looks awesome, the car looks really cool. I’ve watched some of the racing on You Tube and it looks fantastic so I can’t wait to get out there.
“I always go into all my races with the same attitude, I want to win, but this is a new challenge and we’ll have to see where I end up. If I’m in a position to be at the front, great, but I’ve never raced the guys in this championship before so I’m not sure what to expect. It’s best to keep an open mind.”
More new faces to join expected capacity grid at Silverstone
Rounds 13 and 14 of the season on 6th/7th October, which will run as part of the British Touring Car Championship support package, are expected to be contested by a sensational grid of 32 cars – the biggest for any Formula Renault race in the UK for years. In addition to Brabham’s entry, two more new faces will make their respective series debuts.
Rounds 13 and 14 of the season on 6th/7th October, which will run as part of the British Touring Car Championship support package, are expected to be contested by a sensational grid of 32 cars – the biggest for any Formula Renault race in the UK for years. In addition to Brabham’s entry, two more new faces will make their respective series debuts.
Ryan Cullen (Wedmore, Somerset), who will drive for his family-owned Cullen Motorsport squad alongside Protyre Formula Renault BARC points leader Scott Malvern (Barkingside, Ilford), makes the step-up to Formula Renault from Formula Ford. The 21-year-old then plans a fast-paced onward graduation into the FIA Formula One World Championship-supporting GP3 Series for 2013.
Established Protyre Formula Renault BARC squad SWB Motorsport is set for a return to action in the championship for the first time since fielding Jack Dex (Daventry) in the opening two meetings of the season at Snetterton and Rockingham.
The returning Dex will pilot one of the Northamptonshire squad’s FR 2.0 cars and will be partnered by Norwegian 19-year-old Tommy Ostgaard. Having won the Formula Basic series in his homeland in 2011, Ostgaard has this year been combining selected races in that category along with test outings in Formula Renault and a recent run – alongside Dex – with SWB in the JK Asia Racing Series.
Anton Spires (Buckingham), who debuted in Protyre Formula Renault BARC last year and has since been racing his FR 2.0 in the Monoposto series, will make a welcome return with his self-entered car for the final two rounds. The 20-year-old contested the Saxmax saloon car series in 2008 and 2009 before graduating to single-seaters in 2010.
Along with headline sponsor Protyre, Formula Renault BARC is additionally supported by Michelin, The Lubricant Consultancy, Petronas Syntium and NGK Spark Plugs.
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